“TRIAL” OF PIUS XII DROPPED

Catalyst October Issue 2000

We learned from one of our members that an Adult Education course at a Long Island public school was planning to put Pope Pius XII on “trial.” The course, “The Jews of Italy: A Miracle of Survival,” will be taught this fall by the Herrick School District in New Hyde Park. The course catalog ends with the following: “A fascinating video will be shown on Italian Jewish Music and Dance. The class will include the ‘trial’ of Pope Pius XII.”

When we learned of this, Catholic League researcher Louis Giovino contacted the superintendent of schools to express his concerns. Then William Donohue spoke to the superintendent. Donohue wanted to know whether FDR would also be put on trial. He then inquired whether Protestants and Jews who cooperated with Hitler would be subjected to a trial.

There will be no trial. The superintendent apologized saying it was a mistake to say there would be a trial. So did the teacher—she contacted Giovino and said there would be a discussion, but no trial. Still, the member who contacted us is now taking the course, just to make sure.